Wrap Your Mind Around a Sarah Palin Vice Presidency

All the talk of late is about the role of the U.S. Vice President. Is Biden ready... is Palin experienced enough? The question posed by Sarah Palin a while ago regarding her interest in the job, although flippant, it was telling, as she asked: "What does a Vice President really do"?

But first before examining the actual job responsibilities, let's juxtapose Governor Palin's readiness-to-be Vice President answer to Senator Joe Biden's recent statement on his Vice Presidential preparedness, as a possible indicator of who is... or is not set to serve:

"I have the confidence in that readiness and knowing that you can't blink, you have to be wired in a way of being so committed to the mission, the mission that we're on, reform of this country and victory in the war, you can't blink. So I didn't blink then even when asked to run as his running mate". Vice Presidential nominee Sarah Palin; Sept. 11, 2008

"Hillary Clinton is as qualified or more qualified than I am to be vice-president of the United States of America. Let's get that straight. She's a truly close personal friend...quite frankly, it might have been a better pick than me." Vice Presidential nominee Joe Biden; Sept. 10, 2008

Quite a contrast to say the least.

So, what does a Vice President do? Traditionally, the duties of the Vice President have been mostly 'ceremonial': attending funerals for world leaders, presiding over the House and Senate, and providing the tie-breaking vote if needed. But also to support the well-being, and the policies and ideas of the President of the U.S.A. Indeed, Dick Cheney has been the most hands on, powerful Vice President in the history of this nation. But his role for the past 8-years is more the exception... not the 'rule'.

Fellow country men who have served in the position of V.P. included Charles W. Fairbanks (Roosevelt); Alben W. Barkley (Truman); Albert Gore, Jr. (Clinton). And none of them had the responsibility or the expectation of overtly running anything in their V.P. capacity. And voters can rest assured, and sleep comfortably at night, knowing that Sarah Palin won't either.

The Veep job is the equivalent of being the second-string quarterback... the back-up... the "stand-by-just-in-case"! Although many are treating Palin as such, but, let's be clear: Sarah Palin is NOT running for President! She will only be the #2. And... quiet as it's kept, the odds of her ever having to step in and assume the role of President will not be any higher than has been in the past.

Yes, being a heartbeat away from President is important... but not nearly as crucial as many in they media purport it to be. With a cadre of advisors, Cabinet Secretaries, military consultants and other appointees, IF Palin should elevate to the role of President, she would not have absolute authority nor be able to override the will of the people.

Historic as her being elected Vice President would be for this country, she will basically be the proto-type... to help the American people wrap their minds around the prospect of a woman "one-day" being the Commander-in-chief. Now... while change sounds good, Americans won't be pushed into changing "too fast", too soon.

So... Sarah Palin, as V.P., will be in check, and a highly regarded figure-head, whose only claim-to-fame is access to the man with the power and the bully pulpit. No more, no less!

50+ days and counting...

The Clampets, The Palins... The Oil!

"Where did she come from? Who is She? How did she get selected as Vice President on the Republican ticket," are the questions circulating from coast to coast about Alaska's two year governor, Sarah Palin. Even before her scheduled prime-time speech at the Republican National Convention, Palin has already galvanized the Evangelicals, rural voters from the Appalachian corridor, the Southerns, and lots of women, who like her can... "bring home the bacon, fry it up in the pan... but never let their husbands forget he's the Man!" .

Well, here is the answer to the Sarah Palin mystery in song: "The Clampets, The Palins... The Oil!" (sung to the tune of the long running hit show "The Beverly Hillbillies"):

Lemme tell you all a story 'bout a man named Todd,
Whose wife came out of no where...
And his family's sorta odd.
Indeed she is attractive,
And can sure 'dress-out' a moose...
But her value to this ticket
Is her State's bubbling crude.

Oil that is. Black gold. Alaskan tea!

Well the next thing you know,
Old Sarah's tapped for Veep,
With of all her family's "baggage"
She's still headed for DC
This young (granny Clampet),
With her guns, bible and all
Will help McCain "whup"
Barack Obama come this Fall.

*****2008 RNC CONVENTION MEETS JOHN MCCAIN*****

"Who is this man and can we trust this man with the Presidency"?

That statement in a nutshell, frames the conversation for the remaining 60 days of this election contest. That question... posed by former Tennessee Senator and 2008 presidential candidate, Fred Thompson, about Senator John McCain, was the 'take away' expression of the night, and will resonate in the minds of the electorates all the way to the voting booth.

Using his deft oratory gift to tout McCain's military career and his 25+ years in the U.S. Senate, Thompson reminded Republicans, "Democrats and Women for McCain", and Independents that "Character, judgment and leadership in our president is most important in a President".

Challenging those in the media and the left leaning critics to stop the vicious attacks on Vice Presidential nominee Sarah Palin's children, particularly the 17-year old daughter who is pregnant with child, Thompson segued into his hardest hitting critique of Obama:

"...we need a President who doesn't think that the protection of the unborn or a newly born baby is above his pay grade. The man who will be that President is John McCain."

Hammering home McCain/Palin's theme: "Put country first"... Thompson shared with Americans that McCain can't salute the flag because he is unable to lift his arms above his head due to the torture he endured as a Prisoner Of War. He admonished voters to "do what is right for our country... and step up and stand up with John McCain".

Following that tough message delivered by Thompson was former Democratic Vice Presidential nominee Joe Lieberman. Although not as thunderous in his presentation, Lieberman quietly dismantled Obama's candidacy and looked straight into the eye of the camera to talk straight to the American people... solemnly asking they move beyond voting for Obama... but instead embrace the new McCain paradigm where "Country matters more than party".

"New" Hurricanes Affect Presidential Politics: Gustav and Jeremiah Wright

While all eyes are focused on hurricane Gustav, slated to touch down in New Orleans and dramatically impact the Republican National Convention by raining on Senator John McCain and Governor Sarah Palin's coming out party... another hurricane, by the name of Jeremiah Wright, re-emerged the same day and could drown out the presidency of Senator Barack Obama.

Just when the Republicans had thought the horrible Katrina debacle was finally behind them, Hurricane Gustav, deemed the mother of all storms, charged toward the nation's coast... intent on reminding Americans of how badly President Bush and the GOP legislators dropped the ball. Talk about awful timing.

Off in another part of the country and with far less media attention, Hurricane Jeremiah Wright––the fiery former pastor of Trinity United Christian Church where Obama spent the past 20 years as a member––swept through Houston, Texas, and mentioned Obama in his sermon, causing tongues to wag and re-opening Pandora's box. Talk about awful timing!

Hoping to damp down any potential negative commentary that the catagory 3 Gustav could bring to McCain/Palin's trek to the White House, the GOP hierarchy wisely scaled back opening day activities of the much 'ballyhooed' convention. Not wanting to appear aloof or indifferent to the suffering of the people of Louisiana, McCain and his new V.P., quickly journeyed to Mississippi to demonstrate their commitment and avoid a similar disaster such as occurred three years ago.

Meanwhile, team Obama, still feeling the effects of Rev. Wright's Greatest Hits tapes that were played incessantly on the internet and main line news outlets... and have caused his poll numbers to steady decline since March, did not need Wright to pop back up in the news, or associate himself with Obama at this juncture of the campaign. Even though Obama has distanced himself from his former pastor, Hurricane Wright's glowing comments during a sermon at Wheeler Avenue Baptist Church Houston, seems to give a 'quasi-endorsement' of Obama's candidacy and opens the flood gates for a repeat of the incendiary tapes that turned off many white voters. Said Wright of Obama:

"The Lord turned the ordinary into the extraordinary. Y'all just saw it this past week. It was on national television," Wright said to applause. "This ordinary boy just might be, come November, the 4th, this ordinary boy from a single parent home with a daddy from Kenya and a mama from Kansas. This ordinary boy just might be the first president in the history of the United States to have a black woman sleeping at 1600 Pennsylvania, legally."

How Obama's campaign reassures a 'skeptical' populace that he is really through with Wright, while thwarting the avalanche of negative publicity sure to follow these comments... remain to be seen.

In the meantime... two hurricanes, two campaigns... if not handled right, could disastrously affect the Presidential campaign of one of these camps, and determine who sits behind the presidential desk January '09.